The Competition
by andree campbell
Summary: Just as things start to develop between Sharon Raydor and Andy Flynn, the attorney for a triple homicide suspect takes a personal interest in the police captain. Unspoken competition for Sharon's affections drives Andy to inadvertently reveal his affection... and jealousy. #Shandy moments and mystery.
1. Ch1 - Roses are not Red

_**If you love Shandy moments, I hope you'll leave your thoughts and comments in the review section after reading this first chapter.**_

**Ch. 1: Roses are not Red**

Lt. Andy Flynn was disgusted. Correction. Andy was MAD and disgusted. He drove through Los Angeles trying to distract himself from the adrenalin coursing through his body as he mentally reviewed the worst part of his day_. Who the hell did that guy think he was and why was he flirting with the Captain of Major Crimes?_

Andy knew if he went straight home he'd inevitably be tempted to call or text Sharon at some point while his temper was still boiling. The last thing he needed was to come off possessive of her when he had no right to be. Technically.

Andy headed for the LA freeway and just drove. Lately it had become his best course of action, allowing his preoccupied mind wander with hands securely on the steering wheel and not his cell phone. Driving aimlessly provided just enough distraction to maintain an uninterrupted internal dialogue with himself. Great self-therapy but hell on his gas credit card.

Andy reached for the seat lever and reclined his seat just a touch after flipping down the visor to avoid squinting into the late day sun. He loosened his tie, removed his gun from his holster and laid it across the front seat divider taking care to make sure it was secure.

He punched a few buttons on the radio until he found the NPR station and listened to the classical music that he found relaxing when driving. It also reminded him of Sharon - associating her with iconic classical music since their Nutcracker outing. Glancing around as he came to a near standstill in rush hour traffic, Andy spotted a man who reminded him of a smarmy lawyer who met with Major Crimes today in Sharon's office. Normally Andy wouldn't have thought much of the lawyer but once it became clear the man found Sharon attractive enough to flirt blatantly in front of two of her detectives, Andy had to size him up.

Angus Blair. _What a bullshit name, Angus._ Andy laughed to himself as the name conjured up the image of a hamburger. The smile disappeared when he realized Angus steaks were pretty damn good.

So what if Blair was taller than Andy; thinner and younger, too. In all honesty, this interloper, jerk-off, flirty fuck was also good-looking. Andy hated him on principle. Blair had dark blond hair best described as sandy which contrasted nicely with his overly tanned skin - far too tanned to be healthy. Despite all the hunky "pros" there was one blatant "con," one flaw that couldn't be excused by Sharon in Andy's opinion. Angus Blair was a _lawyer,_ something Sharon absolutely did not care for. Her ex-husband Jackson Raydor was also an attorney. Between Jackson and the difficult DDA she dealt with daily, Sharon found lawyers exhausting and annoying with their need to argue every single point. Andy decided to work the lawyer angle every chance he got with Sharon.

There was no mistaking it, Angus Blair was certainly taken with Sharon. Andy had paid especially close attention to attorney Blair who was paying way to much attention to the lovely police captain during the brief introductory meeting involving Blair's sketchy client - a suspect in three unrelated murders.

Maybe Blair was only flirting to get a "read" on the police captain in an attempt to improve his client's chances of being released. Andy could only hope but that thought died when he saw Blair staring at Sharon's legs. The man's confident and charming smile made Andy want to punch him in his elegant bony nose.

Sharon dressed in her typical classic style wore a sleek suit tailored tastefully to her hour-glass figure. Andy couldn't help himself when it came to noticing what Sharon wore – sure, he had his favorites among her wardrobe and was especially thankful she wasn't wearing a certain blouse that revealed her delicate collarbones and peek of cleavage. Still, the suit had those slits on the sides of her skirt allowing a glimpse of leg above the knee. He loved her slender legs and often found himself sneaking looks at them when her head was turned.

Traffic had finally begun to crawl forward. Although the car was barely moving,nAndy felt as if he were on an emotional roller-coaster. One minute smiling as he recollected his favorite images of Sharon, the next frowning as he recalled how Blair ogled the captain. Regardless, Andy could not find anything to like about the attorney. Blair's clipped speaking voice, fine italian suit, ridiculous French cuffed shirt with expensive cufflinks flat out bothered Andy. It was all he could do to refrain from commenting sarcastically when the attorney extending his business card to Sharon and pointed out his personal cell number was hand written on the reverse side.

Sharon had accepted Blair's business card without comment, if hums didn't count. Her lack of encouragement to Blair made Andy's heart soar especially when Sharon shot Andy her wide eyed expression known as the_ can you believe this guy_ look. Andy had returned the nonverbal cue by rolling his eyes at her and shaking his head.

Despite all this, Andy felt unsettled. There was no mistaking it, Blair was interest in Captain Raydor. He had gone so far as to suggest that once this case was over and his client freed, that he'd love to take the "lovely Captain" out to dinner and get to know her better. Sharon had given him a weak but polite smile and changed the subject on Blair. _That's my girl!_

If one thing could make Andy happy, it was how Sharon Raydor kept her guard up against these types of pathetic charmers. She had had her fill of them thanks to her turd of an ex-husband, who was to this day _still_ a drunken manipulating _lawyer _who regularly tried to charm his way into her life using his relationship with their grown children.

The emotional back and forth of the day's events twisted Andy's stomach into knots.

Andy exited the highway and pulled into the first fast-food drive-thru he came upon. Back in the day, this type of emotional upset would have Andy driving to his favorite watering hole to slam down a few shots and fester over the day's events. Now, when his emotions got the better of him, he'd drive until he settled down and if that didn't work, drown the upset stomach with ice cold soda or steaming black coffee.

Waiting patiently to place his order at the drive-through, Andy's mind drifted back to how Sharon seemed initially surprised and later embarrassed by Angus Blair's overt attempt to flirt with her. Though her face remained calm, Andy saw the fleeting flush of color in her cheeks and the awkward pause as she reacted to Blair's dinner invitation – once the case concluded, of course. Sharon had respectfully ignored the invitation in that indomitable way of hers while retaining control of situation.

Andy knew he was just jealous. _Stop getting so worked up. There's nothing to worry about_, Andy told himself.

* * *

"Hi Rusty," Sharon greeted her son as she entered the apartment they shared. "How were classes today?"

"Fine. The usual stuff," Rusty answered as he got up from the couch and paused before heading for the kitchen with his snack plate and empty glass. "Look who got flowers today!"

Before Sharon could reply, she spotted a large vase of lavender roses on her home desk. Her initial smile faded into a suspicious squint.

"Are they from Andy?" Rusty asked coyly. Sharon's head snapped in his direction.

"Why would you think that?" Sharon asked as she approached the vase of flowers. They smelled heavenly. Spotting the florist's card embedded inside the bouquet, Sharon noticed the small white envelope had already been opened.

"Seriously though, who's Angus?". Sharon's eyes grew large at the sound of the name as she pulled the card from its miniature envelope.

"A lawyer…." Sharon said crisply as she read the message. "… representing a suspect in a triple homicide."

"Ew." Rusty said dismissively.

"Exactly," Sharon agreed as she reread the short message to herself

"_After this case has been put to bed, I really would love to take you to dinner. – Angus"_

Sharon analyzed the message and raised her eyebrow at the choice of words.

"Subtle he ain't," Rusty said sarcastically as he went into the kitchen. "What's the story?"

"No story, really. Angus Blair is an attorney for a murder suspect and thinks hitting on a police captain is going to get his client a break."

"Idiot," Rusty decided.

"Yes, he certainly is," Sharon agreed. She wanted to toss the flowers out but decided to pour a glass of wine for herself before starting dinner.

"They smell nice, " Rusty said thoughtfully. "Cool color. I didn't know roses even came in that color."

"It is unusual," Sharon murmured.

"So you're not going to accept ….."

"Oh God, no!" Sharon answered.

"How does he even know your address?" Rusty said with a frown.

"That's a very good question, Rusty." Sharon pulled out her cellphone and began texting Lt. Michael Tao's cell phone.

"_Lt. Tao, tomorrow morning please look into an attorney named Angus Blair and send me any info you find on him. Criminal records, recent/past clients, you know the drill. Blair sent flowers to my HOME address and I want to know how he got it."_ Sharon placed her phone on the desk next to the flowers and plugged it into the cell charger

"You worried?" Rusty asked cautiously. Sharon shook her head.

"No, but you can never be too careful. Right?"

"Right," Rusty agreed as he clicked on the television and sat down on the couch.

"No homework?" She asked lightly.

"A little but I'll do it after dinner, 'k?"

"Okay." Sharon agreed as her eyes studied the flowers. ObviouslyAngus Blair wanted to make a point beyond the romantic gesture. Sending flowers to her office wouldn't have bothered her but by sending flowers to her home, Blair was sending her an unsettling missive. She left the flowers on her desk for now and headed to the fridge. That glass of cold chardonnay couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Andy dialed his partner.

"Louie, you want to get some dinner?" Andy asked as he drove back to the highway on-ramp.

"To what do I owe this formal invite?" Provenza asked sarcastically. Andy could tell Provenza hadn't left the office yet.

"No reason, just figured we'd grab a burger somewhere."

"What's bugging you? You sound …I don't know….constipated or something."

Andy rolled his eyes at the dig. "I'm just fine, Louie. Thought you could use the company."

"Yeah sure. You can tell me the real reason over burgers at Benson's pub."

"See you there in twenty," Andy replied and accelerated into the speed lane.

* * *

Once dinner was over, Sharon decided to take a closer look at the bouquet of roses_. Wonder if Mr. Blair bugged it?_ Sharon checked the foliage, the vase and even raised it to look under its base. Nothing.

_I'm getting paranoid,_ she told herself. Sharon decided to photograph the flowers in case she needed to reference it into evidence on the new case. Shooting pictures of the flowers, the vase, the card and the florist envelope, she sent the images to both her email address and to Lt. Tao's with a quick note referencing her earlier text.

Rusty finished loading the dishwasher and was wiping down the counters of their spaghetti and veggies dinner when Sharon returned to get a partial refill on the chardonnay.

"What's up with that?" Rusty asked.

"What?"

"More wine? You usually keep it to one glass. That Angus guy upset you?"

Sharon gave Rusty a reassuring smile. "No, Rusty. Nothing like that, I'm just … trying to relax."

"Huh, so flowers make you tense?_ That_ is weird, Sharon. Bet you'd be twice as tense if Andy had sent them," Rusty knew he was pushing buttons but he liked teasing Sharon about Andy. How could two excellent detectives, these adults, be so blind to what was happening between them? It tickled Rusty's dry sense of humor.

"I know what you're doing, Rusty," Sharon said with a wary tone and a slight smile on her face as she left him alone in the kitchen and headed to the couch.

With a few precious minutes alone to herself, Sharon curled up on the couch against the throw pillow, took a slow long sip of wine and closed her eyes to review the day in her mind. Angus Blair's obvious flirtation was oddly timed and clearly inappropriate. If he thought for a single moment that it would alter how she'd treat his client, Angus was about to learn the hard way how Darth Raydor dealt with idiots.

* * *

"Something wrong with your burger?" Provenza asked between bites. Andy had barely touched his meal.

"Nah, I'm just preoccupied."

"See! I knew you had something on your mind. That's why you invited me isn't it?" Provenza looked smug as he raised his glass of beer to toast Andy.

"Fine. You know me so well," Andy said half-heartedly.

"Well, spit it out," Provenza muttered. "You gonna eat those fries?" Provenza had already reached over to Andy's plate, his hand paused above the fries waiting for the go-ahead.

"I might, back off," Andy frowned and smacked Provenza's eager fingers away. Provenza glared but stole a fry anyway.

"So what's got your shorts all twisted?" Provenza asked as he dipped Andy's fry in a pool of ketchup that covered more of Provenza's plate than it should.

"That lawyer asshole pretty boy. You saw him, right? He's representing our murder suspect in the triple homicides,…" Andy blurted.

"Yeah, what a dandy," Provenza mocked. "Only lawyers and funeral directors wear those god-awful cufflinks. Pretentious as the day is long."

Andy nodded in agreement. "He hit on Sharon."

"Wait, did you say he hit ON the captain? Like flirting?" Provenza was genuinely surprised. "You saw it?"

"Yeah," Andy was frowning but his voice sounded indignant. " Right there in front of me and Sanchez, in Sharon's office."

"No shit. What did the captain say?" Provenza prodded.

"You know Sharon. She's not going to acknowledge it. I think it took her by surprise though. I mean the guy asked to take her out to dinner _'after'_ the case was closed.

"Like that would ever happen," Provenza chuckled. Andy felt better.

"That's what I was thinking," Andy seemed relieved. "I mean who does that?"

"What? Invite a good-looking woman out to dinner? Me, that's who does _that_." Provenza said bluntly. "The captain's attractive, no wedding ring on her finger, so yeah, of course guys are going to hit on her - well, not cops who know her from Internal Affairs," Provenza added.

"Thanks for pointing that out!" Andy's frustration was evident.

"Hey, you snooze, you lose, Andy." Provenza stole another french fry off Andy's plate and dragged it through the ketchup puddle once more. "So either grow a pair and ask her out on an actual, _bonafide, legitimate date_ or somebody else will. Oh wait, that already happened. The question is will she go on said date. Hmmm?"

Andy felt like smacking Provenza on the head but resisted the impulse. "Shut up, Louie. I thought you hated the idea of me and Sharon.

Provenza raised his eyebrows at his friend and tilted his chin in that sarcastic yet innocent expression reserved just for Andy. "I don't _hate_ the idea, I just think it might get messy since you work for her _and all."_

"You think the captain's good-looking?" Andy sounded a little hostile.

"Hey, I'm a man. I got eyes," Provenza shot back. Andy grimaced and looked away as he stirred the glass of ice water with his straw.

"Well don't get any ideas, " Andy warned quietly. Provenza shrugged and took advantage of Andy's distraction to steal a handful of fries off Andy's plate.

* * *

Preoccupied by Blair's odd behavior, Sharon felt the need to call Andy for his take on the situation. Andy was with her and Sanchez in meeting Angus Blair. Maybe Andy picked up on something she missed. She hesitated to call Andy given the recent events. Ever since Sharon and Andy went to the Nutcracker with Rusty and Nicole, she knew Andy had feelings for her that went beyond their friendship. Rusty pointed it out for all to hear which left her nervous during the show.

Despite Andy misleading his daughter about his non-existent relationship with the captain, Sharon had decided to let it go and ignore the whole matter. Since then, Sharon and Andy both agreed there wasn't anything happening other than two good friends of opposite sexes enjoying each other's company now and then at events and meals outside of work. Strictly platonic. They were not dating, per se, Sharon told herself. She and Andy were just _good friends_ who liked to hang out _occasionally._

In the end, her gut instinct told her she needed to run this by Andy and see if her suspicions about Blair were valid. Sharon returned to her desk, unplugged her charger and hit the speed dial button that listed Andy near the top of her 'favorites' list.

"So that asshole sent you flowers?! To your home!? Is that some kind of threat? " Andy snarled. "He just met you today!"

Andy seemed to be overreacting. "That's why I called you about this. It doesn't feel right. Something's off."

Andy was fuming on the other end of the line. "Sending flowers or anything to a cop's home is just not done!"

"I know, Andy." Sharon replied. "So you think it is an implied threat?"

"Yes, I do!" Andy said bluntly. He realized his anger might be exposing his jealousy. "I just don't like it. Who does this guy think he is? Sending a police captain flowers to her home."

"I don't like it either," Sharon assured.

"Was there a message with the flowers?" Andy pried. Sharon hesitated.

"Yes." She realized Angus Blair's overt comment would only anger Andy further.

"Well, are you going to read it to me?" Andy didn't sound like he was asking.

"I'd rather not."

"Why?" Andy said flatly.

"Because its …weird."

"Go on, read it to me." Andy asked a little softer and heard Sharon exhale slowly.

"He wrote '_After this case has been put to bed, I really would love to take you to dinner. – Angus'"_

"Suggestive son of a bitch!" Andy was steamed. "I don't like this one bit! Sending that to your home instead of your office feels …sinister, Sharon." She had the same feeling.

"As a precaution I've asked Tao to check into Blair's background. I just wanted your thoughts on this because you were there in our meeting. Angus Blair is going about this case all wrong." Sharon murmured mostly to herself.

"Yes, he is. What kind of flowers?" Andy asked subtly. Sharon was momentarily surprised.

"What? Uh…roses."

"A dozen?" Andy pressed.

"Two."

"Two dozen roses? " Andy sounded unhappy. "Don't tell me, let me guess. Red roses, right?"

"No." Sharon paused. "They're Sterling roses. Lavender colored.

"Like your blouse today," Andy noted out loud.

Sharon glanced down at her clothing and realized Andy was right.

"That's right…" Sharon said hesitantly. "You…."

"I'm a detective, Sharon," Andy cut in quickly once he realized he said a little too much. He couldn't remember what anyone else in the office had worn today but he knew exactly what Sharon wore. _ Hmmmm._

"And a very good one," Sharon said. Andy could hear her smiling as she spoke.

"Yeah, well anyway," Andy tried to cover his embarrassment. "So this creepy lawyer sent you flowers. To. Your. Home. In the same color as your clothing today. IF that's not creepy, I don't know what is." Andy sounded worried. "Geez, you'd think he'd be more original than sending roses."

Sharon smiled to herself. She knew Andy was right about the lawyer. Angus Blair managed to make himself even creepier now that Andy had pointed it out.

"You have something against roses, Andy?" Sharon said trying to lighten his mood.

"Huh? No. Roses are fine for most women, but you're not mos…." Andy realized he had said the wrong thing. Again. It felt awkward discussing this with her.

Sharon held her breath.

"…uh, you're not most women, Sharon."

"Thank you…. I think," Sharon felt self-conscious and was secretly thankful Andy couldn't see her blushing.

"What I meant to say was roses are typical, you know, standard. Most women like roses because they think roses are romantic." Andy injected. "Like this Blair jerk-off."

"They're not?" Sharon was playing with him a little.

"In a knee-jerk kinda way, sure." Andy conceded. "Someone like you ought to get something more thoughtful…. lilies or better yet, peonies." Sharon's eyebrows rose in surprise. She preferred these flowers far above roses.

"Peonies?"

"Yeah, you know how they're super soft, the petals I mean. And they have a kind of voluptuous-ness to them. Substantial, not ornamental - but definitely graceful - with long thin stems." Andy was picturing Sharon's hair and her pretty legs as he described the flowers. "Peonies have a delicate scent and Lilies are very pretty but their scent can be overpowering…plus lily petals fall off within days."

"Andy, I had no idea you knew so much about flowers," Sharon said softly.

Andy smiled. "Yeah well my ex-wife was a florist so I paid attention."

"Well that explains a lot," Sharon replied. She could hear Andy chuckle.

"Thank you for your feedback about Angus Blair. I thought it was strange too. He's obviously up to something."

"I'd say so, " Andy added.

"Well, good night, Andy. See you in the morning."

"G'night, Sharon. Be careful and let me know if you receive anything else from that weirdo…" Andy stopped speaking at the realization of his words. "…not that its weird or anything for a man to send _you_ flowers, I mean."

Sharon picked up on Andy's anxiety and let it slide. "No worries, I know what you meant, Andy. Good night." She hung up the phone and stood there mulling over the conversation with her detective.

"Hmmm peonies," Sharon pondered. A little smile slipped across her lips. Sharon got up from the couch to go check on Rusty in his room. Feeling more relaxed after the analytical conversation, Sharon headed down the hall to Rusty's bedroom, passing by the framed grouping of black and white photos that included a single pale peony.

* * *

_**Thank you for reading this long first chapter. Lots of ideas swirling on where to take it in the next chapter. Please leave your reviews and/or feedback to help the story take shape. Appreciate your comments greatly!**_


	2. Ch 2 - The secret meaning of flowers

_**Wow! Thank you for the terrific comments and encouragement. Love writing Shandy fanfic as long as the characters stay in character. Please keep your comments coming. They've given me a few new ideas for some upcoming turns and twists. Lets hope you like this chapter, too.**_

**Ch. 2 - The secret meaning of flowers.**

Lieutenants Tao and Andy Flynn were staring intensely at Tao's computer screen as Sharon Raydor entered the Major Crimes division offices.

"Good morning, Mike," Sharon said warmly. "Andy."

Both men looked up to respond but were taken aback by the huge bouquet of roses Sharon struggled to hold up in one arm.

"Here, let me get that for you," Andy said as he hustled around Sykes desk to relieve Sharon of the heavy vase and flowers.

"Thank you, Andy," Sharon replied as she handed over the bulky item. A rose petal had gotten caught in her hair above her right shoulder and Andy noticed.

"Wow. Those are _some_ flowers!" Mike Tao said in awe. "Somebody's trying to impress you."

"Hmmm," Sharon responded. Tao could tell the Captain wasn't pleased by the gesture or with the sender.

"The florist shop doesn't open until 9 so I'll call them in an hour," Tao said quickly. "Still accumulating the data on Angus Blair and should have that to you in a few minutes, Captain."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Sharon, wait…you've got a petal …right …." Andy reached up to extract it from her glossy locks as Sharon stood still. "…there." It was the first time he had ever touched her hair and it suddenly felt rather intimate to him. Sharon paused and watched Andy's eyes as he unsuccessfully tried to pluck the pale petal from her hair while holding the ungainly vase full of long-stemmed roses.

"Oops. Sorry. Hold on a sec." Andy set the vase down on Sykes' desk and turned back to Sharon. "Let me try that again." Andy gently moved her hair with one hand and reached for the flower petal with other, sliding the petal down the length of the lock. He found himself smiling at her. Sharon's face looked relaxed.

Tao watched them with a smirk on his face. Anyone worth their detective's badge in Major Crimes knew Andy was smitten with the Captain. Flynn never missed a chance to watch Raydor or stand close to her. This time, Tao watched the captain's expression closely.

Sharon must have felt Tao's eyes on her as Andy's finger brushed her ear softly. She slowly tilted her head away and stepped back, "Thank you, Andy." She gave him a quick smile, turned and walked toward her office, her cheeks burning. Had anyone else done what Andy had just done, it wouldn't have felt so … _intimate,_ Sharon realized.

She hurriedly unlocked her office door and shut it behind her. Andy pocketed the petal and turned back to the offending flowers. He glanced up at Tao who was smiling broadly.

"What?" Andy said with a frown. He knew what Tao was thinking. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything," Tao protested good-naturedly, holding up both hands up in surrender.

"I know what you're thinking," Andy snarked. "Here, you take these. I'm sick of looking at 'em." Andy brought the flowers over and thrusted them into Tao's hands. "See if you can find out how Blair got the captain's home address - I'll call the florist."

Tao chuckled at Andy's bravado and slid the heavy vase to the corner of his desk. These were high-quality, expensive flowers. _Nice, _Tao thought._ I gotta remember this place for our anniversary._

Provenza rounded the corner carrying a box of donuts in one hand and a tall paper cup of coffee. "Greetings, fellow detectives, look what I brought you-wow, those are _some_ flowers, Tao!"

Tao grinned. "Not mine. A suspect's lawyer sent them to the Captain's _home_ yesterday. Kinda creepy if you ask me."

Provenza immediately looked over at Andy who was glaring at the flowers and shaking his head. They made eye contact. Provenza tipped his chin at Andy and raised the box of donuts. Andy got up and met Provenza at his desk.

"Gimme one of those," Andy took the box of donuts and opened it to survey the confectionary options.

"Don't let it get to you, Andy. The captain clearly doesn't want them," Provenza said quietly to his partner. "Here, take two."

Andy smiled and snagged a chocolate iced crueler and a cake donut. "Told you that sonuvabitch was coming onto the captain yesterday. Tao's checking to see how that bastard got her home address."

"How's the captain? She okay?" Provenza asked as he hung his jacket over the back of his chair and sat down.

"Yeah, it takes more than that to rattle her."

"Take her a donut," Provenza urged. "She may need a little sugar to calm her nerves. And by sugar, I meant the donut, got it?" Andy smirked and stacked a cinnamon spiced cake donut on top of his own two.

"Thanks, Louie."

* * *

"Come in," Sharon answered to the light knock on her office door. Andy opened the door and poked his head in.

"Hey, thought you might like this right about now," Andy gestured to the two cups of fresh coffee in one hand, one covered by a napkin and a small brown doughnut. Sharon smiled.

"Ummm, coffee. Thanks!" Sharon smiled encouragingly.

Andy closed the door behind and placed the coffee mug on her desk. "Provenza brought donuts this morning." Andy said with his eyebrows raised.

"Really? What's the occasion?" Sharon played along.

"I have no idea but there's a first time for everything!" Andy grinned as he took a seat across from her.

Sharon picked up the donut and broke off a small piece. She glanced up at Andy, "Want to share this one?"

"No, you enjoy it. I had two already." Andy smiled back patting his stomach. Sharon tasted the donut and let out a small hum.

"Coffee and donuts, it may be a cop cliché but it's a good one!" She took a sip of the coffee and closed her eyes briefly to enjoy the combination in her mouth. Andy was enjoying this immensely.

Sharon opened her eyes and found Andy staring at her. It felt nice to be sitting alone together while things were still quiet in the office. A sharp rap on her door broke the calm.

Without waiting for permission, Assistant Chief Russell Taylor burst into her office. "We gotta problem, Captain. Andy, would you excuse us, please?" It was more of a demand than a request but Andy got the hint and got up immediately. Andy shot Sharon a worried look as he exited and Taylor closed the door behind him. Sharon pushed the rest of the donut to the side and folded her hands in front of her prepared for whatever Taylor was about to dump on her.

"What's going on in there?" Provenza asked as he strolled over to Andy's desk.

"I don't know," Andy murmured. The pair tried to read Sharon's face as Taylor stood gesticulating wildly. The smile had completely disappeared from the captain's face and was replaced with a slight frown.

"That can't be good," Provenza grumbled. Andy noticed Tao waving him over and excused himself from Louie.

"Find anything on Blair?"

"Plenty! Get a load of this," Tao said pointing to his screen.

Andy studied the information on Tao's computer and instantly felt his stomach churn. He now officially hated the cocky attorney even more but before he could comment, Sharon's office door opened and both she and Taylor hurried out of the division and down the hall, neither looking very happy.

"Something tells me this day is about to suck!" Andy griped. Tao nodded in agreement.

* * *

The captain hadn't returned to her office by 11 am leaving the team alone to work on researching the triple homicide case and its short list of suspects. One suspect stood out but they spent their time vetting each viable candidate. Sykes and Sanchez were working on the victims' backgrounds looking for any connections between them but failing to find a single commonality.

The victims were different in every way – a pre-teen hispanic boy, an elderly white woman and black man in his mid-thirties. The only similarity was the manner in which they died. The killer had used a bow and arrow.

"Who does that? " Sanchez asked out loud to no one in particular. "Does this sick fuck think he's being clever?"

"It's a silent method, that's for sure," Sykes commented adding "What makes you think it's a male killer?"

"Most murders are committed by men," Sanchez reminded her. "But we can call the killer Katniss if you prefer."

Sykes smiled and shook her head. "Hey, don't laugh. Those Hunger Game movies got a lot of girls interested in archery. I'm just sayin'." Sanchez laughed.

"Katniss it is!" Tao chimed in.

Provenza had no clue who Katniss was. "Any links between the victims?"

"Not yet," Sykes replied. "I've got calls into several archery clubs and sporting goods stores to see if we can trace the arrows."

"Yeah, its not like bullets but arrows have their own distinctive characteristics," Sanchez said as he stood up to put on his sports coat. "You ready, Sykes."

"Coming. Be back in a couple of hours," Sykes said to Provenza as she shut off her laptop and headed out with Sanchez.

Andy had been in a bad mood since Tao showed him the articles on Angus Blair. After stewing a bit, he returned to see what Tao had uncovered.

"Man, I hate this guy too," Tao murmured as Andy stood next to him. "Check this out."

Andy peered once more at Tao's computer screen. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Tao glanced up with an apologetic expression. Angus Blair was too damn good to be true and it was painfully obvious the attorney had gotten under Andy's skin.

"Not only is he a rich bastard but he's freaking hero now?" Andy had both hands on his hips. "There's gotta be something wrong with him. Tell me he has a bow and arrow hidden somewhere."

Tao laughed. "Sorry, Andy. So far he doesn't even own a gun. No permit on record either."

"Fuck! I'm outta here. I'll check out the florist shop that sent those flowers to Sharon. You coming, Provenza."

"Yeah, give me a minute will ya." Provenza dropped his pen and got up as quickly as he could. "Go grab the elevator. I'll call Buzz and let him know where everybody went."

* * *

Like Angus Blair, the florist's shop looked a little pretentious. The owner, one Chinese-American Tim Chow, was a slightly aged gay man, or at least presented himself that way. Andy flashed his badge and Tim Chow dropped the prissy attitude immediately.

"Nice hat, officer," the florist scoffed at Provenza who had yet to remove the white canvas cap from his even whiter hair. Provenza heard the sarcasm and glared at the florist before sliding his coat behind his hip to display both his badge and gun holster. The florist's smile disappeared.

Andy explained the reason for their visit and had the florist look up the order sent to Sharon.

"It was a phone order paid by credit card," Chow confirmed. "That's standard for Mr. Blair."

"He's a regular customer, huh? So does he usually order such big arrangements?" Andy asked.

"Yes and no," Chow hesitated. "He sends flowers to a lot of women, mostly roses but not usually this many or this color."

Provenza tapped Andy on the arm and nodded. "He's a player, obviously."

Andy frowned. "Did Blair call this order in personally?"

"Yes, normally his secretary calls in the order but it was him this time. Oh, and he used a different credit card than we have on his account."

"What do you mean?" Provenza asked.

"His own credit card – not the one for his office. Mr. Blair was very particular about the flower color, too."

"Why's that?" Andy prodded.

"Well, flowers have very special meanings. The type of flower and the color conveys a message if you know anything about romance."

"Seriously? When did that happen?" Provenza looked confused.

"Like forever ago," Chow said sarcastically.

Andy cocked an eyebrow at the Provenza. "He's right, Louie." Andy turned back to the florist, "so what's the deal with lavender roses?"

"Well, first of all, Mr. Blair was very specific that these be _sterling roses_, not lavender roses."

"What's the difference," Provenza asked.

"All roses have thorns, including lavender roses. But Sterling roses rarely do. Plus they have a whiter hue that gives the lavender color a sterling tinge," the florist replied to Provenza. Andy found the missing thorn info rather interesting.

"Okay, sterling roses. What's the message or meaning behind Sterling roses?"

"Well, lavender colored roses symbolize enchantment, you know, love at first sight," the florist was smiling. "Purple is traditionally associated with royalty so lavender roses in general suggest an air of regality."

"Blair got that right, the captain can be a royal pain in th…" Provenza muttered ignoring the rest of the florist's explanation.

Andy cut him off quickly.

"No she isn't!" Andy snapped. "Love at first sight? Huh. That's just great." The sarcasm wasn't lost on Provenza or the florist.

"Yes, most men have no idea. I try to suggest lavender to men but usually they want red roses. Romance is _just _lost on them!" The florist pouted.

"What about peonies?" Andy asked quietly. Provenza stared at Andy in confusion.

"Mr. Blair didn't order any peonies," Chow corrected.

"What I want to know is what do peonies symbolize?" Andy replied.

"Oh dear, that's a _much_ more complicated flower. Peonies have lots of meanings depending on where you're from."

"Simplify it would ja, pal?" Andy pleaded. Provenza chose not to interrupt.

"Fine. Well, first off peonies have been around for thousands of years. The peony is the traditional flower of China," the florist touched his own chest with big grin, "and symbolizes wealth, good fortune and peace."

"Oh." Andy sounded disappointed.

"Of course, modern Chinese give peonies to mean something different. Usually for friendship, good luck…oh, and feminine beauty, elegance, and poise. Now, the Japanese have a similar traditional meaning but they also view it as a symbol of protection and safety. From evil spirits and the like."

"Oh yeah?" Andy perked up. It definitely related to what the police were all about.

"Then there's the ancient Greek meaning," Chow paused. " Safety and peace. But I prefer the Victorian meanings of flowers."

"Why's that?"

"_Becaussssse_ it takes into account not only the flower but _how the flower buds bloom_," Chow over-enunciated. "In Victorian times, the slow, almost bashful process of the peony flower's opening was considered a much more potent symbol of romance compared to roses. Usually roses were sent to gain a woman's attention. You know, to wow her. But peonies represented commitment to a woman. Serious interest, you know."

"No kidding?" Andy sounded pleased.

"It's really the ideal flower to send to someone early in a relationship since it doesn't freak women out as much as roses might."

"I'm totally lost," Provenza interjected. The florist ignored him and continued talking to Andy.

"Like I said, the peony symbolizes bashfulness and compassion. A happy life, a happy marriage, et cetera. Roses usually mean I want to _do _you!"

"Really? That's what women think when they get roses?" Andy was a little surprised by the florist's bluntness. Provenza was smiling.

"Well, timing is everything," Chow countered.

"Good to know. Say, you wouldn't have any peonies in that case over there would ya?" Andy asked.

Provenza sighed loudly. "Good lord!" The florist continued to ignore the older detective.

"No but let me check in the back, just a moment okay?" Chow ducked around the corner but continued speaking. "What color were you thinking of?

"How about white?"

"How about white?" Provenza teased in a girly little taunting voice. Andy flipped Provenza the bird while the florist was in the back room.

"We have white!" The florist sounded pleased.

Andy pulled out his smart phone and googled white peonies to check their meaning. He grinned. _**White peonies**__ represent young girls who are recognized for their intellect and also by their beauty._

"Yeah, definitely white. And put it a bud vase or something simple," Andy said loudly. Within ten minutes, Chow had arranged the large lush white flower with a small bud on a single stem in a modern, slightly abstract black vase. Black and white just like the rules Sharon was so familiar with.

Provenza smirked all the way back to the car. "Cat's out of the bag now."

"Shut up, Louie. It's not what you think." Andy said tersely.

"Oh yes it is, Flynn. _Yesssss,_ it _is._" Provenza wiggled his eyebrows up and down then practically skipped around the car to the passenger front seat.

* * *

_**Thanks for reading. Please leave your reviews and comments when you finish. I love hearing your thoughts!** _


	3. Ch3 Hero Widower

_**Special thanks to those readers who left reviews. I am overwhelmed by the kind and detailed comments and encouragement. You readers make writing fanfiction twice the fun. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope those of you who gave my favorite kind of feedback will especially enjoy the twists in the story brought on by your clever ideas. Please keep feeding this writer's 'happy bank' with your thoughts. It makes me want to write up another new chapter asap!**_

* * *

Lunch hour was ending as partners Flynn and Provenza sauntered into the empty offices of Major Crimes. "Looks like it's just you and me, Andy," Provenza smiled. "Nice and quiet."

The captain's office was empty. No one was at the outer office desks and Buzz was either still out or hiding back in the video room. Andy dropped his jacket onto his desk chair and glanced over at Provenza's desk to see his partner refolding a section of the newspaper and lick the tip of a pencil. Louie was well known for his obsessive need to finish the daily crossword puzzle. It would keep Louie preoccupied long enough for Andy to sneak unnoticed into Sharon's office and place the peony vase on her desk.

Upon entering Sharon's office, Andy took note of his boss's extremely tidy desk. Placing the peony-in-vase on her bare desk would only have it stick out like a sore thumb AND drive inevitable questions. Andy paused and surveyed the furnishings once more, looking for the perfect spot. He liked her black and white sign _"Work with me, People!"_ propped against the wall on the credenza directly behind her desk, and, briefly, considered placing the flower next to it. Somehow, it didn't feel right. Andy reconsidered giving the flower to Sharon at all. _Maybe I'm making a mistake. What was I thinking? _

Andy pointedly turned and glimpsed the sterling roses still sitting on Tao's desk. It hit him like a buick that Andy was just trying to compete in some sort of testosterone-fueled competition for attention with someone he not be able to beat. Andy realized he was not dealing with just any dude. This Angus Blair had sent Sharon flowers _to her home for good reason_.

Andy rethought Blair's multiple motives yet settling on one: Sending flowers to a woman's office attracts attention and by attention, it meant _everyone's attention. _Conversely, sending flowers to a woman's home was more of a private gesture since not every woman wanted attention about their private life. Women like Sharon Raydor preferred privacy. Andy stared at the pale peony and realized he had to keep things private, like Blair had. The advantage was that Sharon wouldn't question the gesture coming from Andy as she did with Blair.

Blair was pretty smart, Andy realized. The attorney had factored in that a team of cops would start with the wrong idea and as usual, seek out a motive for why the giver sent flowers. Generally, that motive fell into two categories: apology or sex. For that very reason Blair had chosen to circumvent the base human assumptions and have the flowers delivered directly to her home and keeping things off-radar, for Sharon's sake.

Sharon's detective brain didn't recognize a romantic gesture from a complete stranger. Being a cop meant analyzing everything and Sharon was far from ready to view such a gesture without some hidden agenda. Andy knew he had the advantage here over Angus, at least for the moment. Sharon was well aware of Andy's personal interest in her. Angus was an unknown entity.

_What the hell! It's time I made a move_, Andy decided and circled around Sharon's desk where he pulled open the bottom file drawer on the right. As luck would have it it was practically empty with only Sharon's small purse inside and a few files in front. Gently sliding everything backward, Andy made enough room for the small vase to fit. The flower was a tad too tall. He opened her top drawer, found scissors and quickly nipped the stem. Two tries later the flower was able to fit without hitting anything above as he closed the drawer.

No need for a note or card, Andy smiled to himself. _She'll know. _

* * *

Assistant Chief Taylor waited for Sharon to respond to the Mayor's question. She tilted her head at Taylor and lifted an eyebrow as if to let Taylor know he wasn't going to like her answer.

Taylor shifted positions in his chair and swallowed hard. Captain Raydor had always stuck to the rules. It was the one thing Taylor could count on. But more importantly, Taylor needed Raydor to tread gently with the impatient Mayor.

"Phillip Stroh. Escaped serial killer, remember?" The mayor's face had turned a darker shade of pink and veins raised along his hair line down to his temples.

"Of course, sir," Sharon said dryly. "We don't believe he's still in the area."

"And you know this how?" The mayor pressed. Taylor tried to look confident but his expression belied his situation. Sharon took control of the meeting.

"Every police officer in LA is searching for him. The media has run with the story since he escaped from the judge's chambers. AND, Stroh's picture is plastered on the front page of every news site, news station and newspaper in the state," Sharon said calmly.

"Has anyone reported seeing him?" The mayor pressed on.

"No, but that's to be expected," Sharon replied. "Phillip Stroh has very likely changed his appearance."

Taylor piped up. "If I may, should Stroh still be in LA, we'd have found him by now. I've got every available resource working this case…."

"So who's handling the bow-and-arrow murders?" The mayor interrupted. "This morning, two news stations were waiting outside my home! I damn near ran one over a reporter on my way here!"

"Sir, we are working to connect the victims…"

"I'm sure you are, Captain, but two serial killers – _two, known _serial killers are on the goddamn loose here in LA and that's just shit for business. We need these murderers caught! _Today!_ The mayor stood up and pointed at Taylor. "You better arrest somebody and soon or start thinking about filling out yourretirement papers a-sap!"

"I understand your frustration, sir" Taylor said forcefully. "But budget cuts are killing….I mean, the budget cuts are hurting our efforts to find Stroh…and the bow-and-arrow killer. We need approval on the overtime we're incurring here. Can you give me any assurances we'll be able to cover the overtime costs?"

The mayor knew he was being squeezed. "I'll get the city council to approve the overtime expenses but you better have Stroh in custody by the end of the week. I don't want to hear of any more damn victims shot with arrows either. You got me?"

"Yes, sir!" Taylor affirmed as the mayor bolted out of his office.

"Well that went well," Sharon said sarcastically.

"What's happening on this new serial killer? It is a serial killer, right?" Taylor said brusquely.

"That's our take," Sharon responded. "There haven't been any reported assaults or deaths by archery in over nine years, so yeah, we're pretty confident the three victims are the work of at least one serial killer."

Taylor checked his watch and rubbed the back of his neck. He was stiff and achy after two hours of being grilled, first by the police chief followed by the mayor. At least he had bought some extra time and gotten the budget overruns covered, for now.

"Keep me posted as soon as things develop…on both killers, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Sharon answered. "If there's nothing else, I really need to get back to my team…"

"Fine, go on. I'll stop by later this afternoon, so please,_ please_ have something I can use to calm the mayor before the city council meeting this evening."

"I'll do my best," Sharon said before turning for the exit.

* * *

Angus Blair had known personal tragedy many years ago, the type of tragedy that shaped his focus for life.

At the age of 25, Blair inherited the full bulk of his family's California real estate in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Selling off the land in San Francisco netted Blair a serious fortune and afforded him the luxury of enjoying life without having to work. It was a fantastic life and it got better once he met Olivia, a law student who would become his wife.

At the age of 30, Blair lost his beloved Olivia in a tragic accident. Blair had taken Olivia out that evening to celebrate their third wedding anniversary at a chic restaurant in the stunning city of Carmel. A leaking gas pipe caused a massive explosion in the restaurant's kitchen killing several patrons and staff members.

Blair had been knocked backwards onto the dining room floor. His wife's body was thrown forward across their table. Her upper body jellied by the shock wave died instantly. Initially thought to be a causality of the gas line explosion himself, a bloodied Blair regained consciousness and was able to drag himself out of the restaurant, his hand fractured by the impact, his right lung collapsed, his hearing blown.

As Blair stumbled out of the destroyed restaurant, he stumbled over an elderly woman pinned under broken tables pieces - still alive - and helped pull her from the wreckage. In shock, Blair still managed to bring the old woman through the full-length, broken windows rescuing her from the black, billowing smoke.

Blair's heroism ended up becoming central to the news coverage and the public attention nearly drove him to suicide. In the weeks that followed the explosion, Blair spent time in a mental care facility for depression and survivor's guilt. The loss, not only of his beautiful wife, just nine weeks along in her pregnancy, but their baby gone before ever being born.

It took Blair years of psychiatric therapy to repair his psyche, depressed mind and broken heart. To honor his wife's intended path, Blair went on to study law and graduating in his mid-30s. Blair chose to specialize in helping the poor and helpless, those with little if any hope of being found innocent, just as Olivia would have done had she lived.

* * *

The meeting with the mayor and Assistant Chief Taylor accomplished little else but a seering headache in Sharon Raydor's temporal lobe. She hurried back to her office to research the latest information on the two serial killers plaguing the area and get her team working on the on both cases.

Finding only Provenza and Flynn in the Major Crimes office, Sharon checked her watch and realized the lunch hour was nearly over. The rest of the team should be back shortly.

"What happened to you, Captain?" Provenza asked. "Don't tell me you were with Taylor all this time."

"Actually, I was," Sharon said with a raised eyebrow. Flynn stood up at his desk and walked toward her.

"Everything ok, Sharon?" Andy asked her with a slight frown on his face. Sharon shrugged. "Uh oh."

"Deputy Chief Taylor and Mayor Garcetti have…concerns," Sharon said slowly. "Apparently two serial killers loose in LA is upsetting to the Mayor and he wants answers before the 6 o'clock news."

Andy shook his head sympathetically. "So you haven't eaten lunch, have you?" Sharon looked at Andy with a smile despite the slight frown across her brow. Nice of him to care, she thought to herself.

"I'm fine, Andy, really." Sharon said convincingly. Andy wouldn't hear of it.

"Lets go," Andy fussed. He approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders gently turning her around. The basement cafeteria was still open.

"Andy, I'm fine." Sharon argued. "I couldn't eat a thing right now and I really don't have the time..."

"Make you deal," Andy grinned at her. "If you eat something, I'll bring you u to speed on flower-boy Blair." It worked to pique Sharon's interest.

Sharon rolled her eyes and smiled at Andy, "Fine! But we have to make it fast, ok?"

"We'll be back in 20, Louie.," Andy said with a smile. The pair headed for the elevators leaving Provenza to shake his head slightly at his partner, _Flynn you lovesick idiot._

* * *

Andy enjoyed any chance to spend time alone with his boss and she wasted no time getting down to business. No sooner had the elevator doors closed, Sharon turned to Andy.

"Blair? What's his story?" Sharon asked. From the look on Andy's face, Sharon knew something was up.

"First, he's filthy rich," Andy said with a frown. "Second, he's a hero. He saved someone's life in a restaurant explosion where he and his wife were eating," Andy noticed Sharon's eyebrows arched at the word _wife._ "Third, he's a widower. His wife died and ..uh she was pregnant."

Sharon's compassionate nature was evident in her expression. "That's so horrible." Andy nodded with a perturbed look on his face. He knew how these things went. Any man who was widowed was instantly given a pass for any other shortcomings having had to survive the tragic loss of a wife. As far as Andy was concerned, Angus was twice the competition now. What woman didn't feel inclined to comfort such a man.

The elevator doors opened and the pair entered the cafeteria where Andy informed Sharon he was buying her lunch and not to argue about it. Sharon thanked him and got a small salad and a bottle of water. Andy copied her and they grabbed a table far enough away from others to have a private conversation.

"So I guess you have to call Angus Blair," Andy asked quietly.

"I suppose I do," Sharon nodded. "I'm still not exactly comfortable with flowers coming to my home."

"Yeah, I mean what's up with that?" Andy agreed. Why mention Angus Blair had done that intentionally to keep things private from her team. "It is a little creepy."

Sharon detected a little jealousy in Andy's tone but let it pass. "Thank you, Andy, for checking out Angus Blair and for my lunch. Really." Sharon smiled at Andy.

"Aw my pleasure, Sharon." Andy was beaming.

* * *

By the time Sharon and Andy returned to the Major Crimes division, Provenza had advised the entire team of Taylor and the Mayor's requests for case closure and to plan on a long night.

"Do we divide and conquer these cases, Captain, or work one case over the other?" Tao asked.

"For now, lets split things up until we get a break in one of them," Sharon decided. Lt. Tao, Sykes and Sanchez, please follow up on the bow-and-arrow murders and find some kind of connection between our victims. Andy and Provenza, please work on the Stroh case."

The team had their assignments and Sharon had a call to make about flowers.

* * *

Sharon sat down at her desk and without looking pulled open the file drawer to retrieve her lipstick from her purse. Her fingers brushed against something soft and cool. She immediately looked down and saw the beautiful pale peony.

Staring at it for a few seconds in confusion, Sharon looked up from her desk to see Andy sitting back in his desk chair smiling at her. Through the narrow glass window, Sharon saw Andy was on the phone but that didn't keep him from winking at her. Sharon's eyes went wide.

* * *

**Hope you like how the story is going. Love readers' feedback and ideas so feel free to let me know what you'd like to see happen next. I haven't quite decided on Angus Blair's direction. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Ch 4 Coincidence or Fate?

**Note to Readers:** Story has been corrected after one sharp "guest" reader noticed the wrong surname for Angus halfway through. My bad! The character's name is officially Angus** Blair.**_ ** Thank you for the wonderful comments and reviews! Loved your ideas and feedback. Sorry for the delay in writing but terrible snowy weather on the East Coast had schools canceled for a week! Finally had some down time to write the fourth chapter. Definite Shandy progress whether or not Andy or Sharon realize it.**_

* * *

Andy was pleased to see Sharon had found the hidden peony. Her green eyes met his brown ones through the glass walls of her office and he couldn't help but wink. She was adorable when she was surprised.

_First, lunch, then a hidden flower and now a wink?_ Andy certainly had _interesting_ timing. A confused Sharon forgot about the lipstick completely and now studied the large lovely flower before she reached in the drawer and lifted its vase to desk level. It was certainly lovely. She inhaled the fragrant scent slowly and allowed the petals to brush against her cheek. _This_ was the reason she loved this pillowy flower. Petals soft like a baby's cheek.

Andy stood up and walked over to her doorway leaning against the jamb with a sweet smile on his face.

"Andy, is this from…you?" Sharon asked shyly.

"Yes. It. Is." He sounded playfully cocky. "I saw it when Louie and I checked out the florist shop this morning. It reminded me of you."

Sharon looked at the flower once more and then back at Andy. "It's beautiful. Thank you…"

"Like I said, it reminded me of you," Andy repeated. He smiled as he turned back and returned to his desk leaving before his words could sink in. Sharon realized his meaning. No one in her department – IA or Major Crimes - had _ever_ paid her a _personal_ compliment before. It was strange, confusing and definitely foreign to her.

_Wait, what…what just happened?_ Sharon thought to herself when she realized she was blushing. She looked back at the lovely flower but her smile dissolved as her eyes came to rest on Angus Blair's business card lying on her desk. _Damn._

Sharon picked up her desk phone and dialed the lawyer's office number. Within seconds his receptionist had connected her to Blair's direct number.

Angus Blair immediately answered his phone. "Hello?"

Sharon hesitated. "Mr. Blair?"

"Yes?"

"Hello, this is Captain Sharon Raydor…"

"Oh! Hello, Captain!" Angus Blair said pleasantly. His voice was warm and relaxed. It sounded as if he were smiling.

"Thank you for the roses," Sharon said perfunctorily.

"Glad you liked them," Angus said. "Have you given any thought to my invitation?"

Sharon paused. He meant the dinner invitation after the case involving his client was over.

"Yes," Sharon said crisply. "As I'm sure you're aware, it would be entirely i_nappropriate_ for us to socialize in any capacity. You represent a client in my murder investigation."

"True. But once the investigation is closed what would be the harm?"

"It's not going to happen," Sharon said firmly.

"I see," Angus said softly. "But, were I not representing one of your suspects, you'd accept my invitation?"

"That's not what I said."

"Do you have something against _lawyers_, then?"

Sharon paused as Jackson Raydor's face came to mind but before she could answer Angus chuckled. "Oh! So you _don't_ like lawyers!

"They're not all bad, just _most_," Sharon replied. "How did you get my home address?"

"It really wasn't difficult," Angus said without actually sounding obnoxious. "You strike me as a private person, Captain, and I didn't want to cause you any embarrassment professionally seeing how you work with so many men."

"I see."

"If I may ask, are you seeing anyone?" Angus asked. Sharon's eyebrows shot up.

"I'm not in the habit of divulging personal information to …"

"So, I take it you're not," he guessed shrewdly. Sharon's initial pause only reinforce his guess. "Well, good. And in the interest of full disclosure, I am not seeing anyone either."

"Mr. Blair, you're not listening," Sharon said calmly. This man was getting on her nerves. "Lets keep things professional, not personal."

Angus was silent for a few seconds, a pregnant pause hanging over the conversation. "Captain Raydor, I see I've offended you. That was not my intention at all. I do apologize."

Sharon remained silent leaving Angus to fill in the silence. The conversation was definitely awkward from her point of view.

"The flowers were truly a sincere gesture from a man interested in a woman, _who_, apparently, is _not_ interested." Angus said carefully. "I will respect your situation and your position."

Sharon nodded to herself. "Thank you, Mr. Blair."

"Til we meet again, Captain," Angus said pleasantly before hanging up.

* * *

A fourth murder victim was found lying on the sidewalk in the full sun. A blue metal arrow protruded through the man's neck and had severed his carotid artery causing the victim to slowly bleed to death. Provenza carefully eyed the puddle that ran down the man's cotton shirt and pooled around his upper body.

"The Mayor's not gonna like this," Andy murmured as he stood over the victim surveying the crime scene and mentally cataloging the details.

"Oh, ya think so Andy?" Provenza snarked. "Get ready to work through the night with all these bodies piling up." Andy glanced over and nodded resignedly.

"What kind of sick bastard shoots people with a bow and arrow in broad daylight?" Provenza asked as he glanced around the buildings and stores lining the sidewalk on both sides of the street. The victim laid crumpled as the medical examiner investigator assessed the body. "Think someone could shoot an arrow that far from up top a building and be accurate?" Provenza asked his partner.

"No idea, Louie, bow and arrows are new to me," Andy said as he jotted down some notes. "Kendall, how long would you say our vic here has been dead?"

Kendall paused, "Hard to say with the sun beating down. The victim's body temperature won't be accurate now so you're going to have to pin point the man's whereabouts to determine a window of time."

"How about an educated guess, then?" Andy asked.

"Between one and three hours maybe," the investigator replied. "But it could vary."

"Seriously?" Andy was annoyed. "Gimme the vic's cell phone, I'll start with his last call." Kendall pulled the cell phone out from under the dead man's knee where he had dropped it before falling himself.

Kendall stared at the victim who wasn't much older than himself. _Who did you piss off, man? _He'd have to leave the arrow protruding out of the body bag for Morales to assess the angle. Provenza and Andy were going through the vic's cellphone and saw the last call made to that phone was just 90 minutes earlier.

"I'll call Sharon with an update," Andy said as he handed Provenza the dead man's cellphone. "And Louie, please, find something from the perp so we can break this shitty case will ya?" Provenza nodded and headed over to a block of stores to check for security camera footage. With any luck somebody's store had footage of where the shot originated and possibly the killer.

"Ask the Captain if Buzz is on his way too," Provenza said pointing at the victim as he walked toward two patrol cops managing the crowd of people and reporters standing behind the police barrier.

* * *

Sharon's answered Andy's call hurriedly hoping there was good news to share with Taylor and the mayor. This latest victim would certainly make the 6 pm newscast and without a break in the case, the Mayor would be back in her face.

Sharon listened carefully as Andy ran down the details and tactics he and Provenza were working.

"Kendall is there already?" Sharon was surprised.

"I know! Ahead of the media, too," Andy said. It was unusual for the medical examiner's investigator to arrive so quickly. "The mayor must of scared the hell out of Taylor because everyone on site seems pretty jumpy." Sharon smiled at Andy's assessment.

"Have you found anything on the killer yet, Andy?" Sharon's low voice managed to stay calm despite the stress she was under.

"We're going for security cam video first. Our victim hasn't been dead long so maybe we'll find something or someone who saw what happened."

"Tao, Sykes and Sanchez are on their way over to help you and Lt. Provenza canvas the crime scene."

"Good. Stroh will have to wait," Andy added. "Hey, Sharon,…uh, your call to flower-boy…everything go well?" Andy knew his timing was bad but it rankled him to know there was a man actively interested in the Captain.

"It's fine, Andy. He got the message."

Her words delighted him more than he expected and he released the breathe he had unconsciously been holding in.

* * *

Sykes and Sanchez combed the block and found a bank and a pawn shop with video surveillance cameras. The pawn shop's cameras had captured the victim passing by across the street giving the detectives an actual time stamp of the murder. The bank's footage showed something more useful – the location of the shooter – but not the shooter himself.

Buzz replayed the footage for both Captain Raydor and Deputy Chief Taylor twice more. "So all we have is a dead man and a shooter on a roof but no details on that shooter, have I got that right, Captain?" Taylor said petulantly.

"Yes, Chief," Sharon said. "I have five detectives on the scene right now doing everything possible to find the killer."

"As you should, Captain. How'd you get the video so quickly, Buzz?"

"Actually, Lt. Flynn got it for us right away and after I taped the scene I brought it back quickly as I could – for your review, Chief," Buzz explained as his eyes glanced at Sharon. She nodded her approval and Buzz relaxed slightly.

"Will you be needing a clip for your press release, Chief?" Buzz asked.

"No, not yet, I'm heading down to the crime scene to give the press a statement," Taylor said grimly. "Call me if anything and I mean anything comes up before I go on-camera."

"Of course, Chief," Sharon said to Taylor's back as he headed out. Sharon pulled her cellphone from her pocket and called Provenza for an update and a warning.

"Andy and I found something," Provenza yelled into the phone as the sound of a news helicopter passed overhead. "We're on the roof of a hair salon, Captain, and there's shoe prints and other markings that may be belong to the killer. We also found two cigarette butts and will send them to the lab. Tells me the shooter was waiting here a while."

"Excellent, any witnesses?" Sharon asked.

"One, a woman but she's too upset to be of any real use right now. Pretty freaked out. I've got Tao with her now taking a statement."

"Good. Deputy Chief Taylor is on his way over to give a statement to the press…"

"Good Lord!" Provenza said under his breath.

"Be sure to give him an update the moment he arrives, Lt."

"Of course, Captain." Provenza replied rolling his eyes.

* * *

Angus Blair slowly paced around his office and the large modern desk. He expected the police captain to be distant and she was.

He had a client appointment in an hour according to his watch giving him a little free time. Angus took a seat, opened his laptop and, after logging in, clicked immediately on the computer file labeled SR on his desktop. Angus opened his favorite photo of the captain, a candid taken at a cocktail event several years back. In the picture were then-newlyweds Angus and Olivia Blair alongside Sharon and Jackson Raydor at a bar association event. Olivia was an intern at a law firm back then, working directly for two attorneys, Jackson Raydor and Gifford Mallinson.

After the event that night Olivia had chattered on about Sharon Raydor on the drive home and for the next day or two afterward. Angus recalled how Olivia had focused on Sharon instead of Sharon's tipsy husband Jack who had hit on Olivia more than a few times and was flirting with Olive in front of both their spouses. Angus just thought Jackson was inebriated and didn't take the attorney's attentions too seriously at that time. What Angus did remember was thinking what are the odds two unrelated women with green eyes would be in the same place at the same time. Angus wondered briefly if Jackson had hired Olivia for that reason alone. Olivia's eyes were, well, the color of green olives but Sharon's eyes were a lighter shade and very pretty.

Angus studied the decades old photo for other insights. Sharon was smiling at Olivia who's spirit was captured perfectly, chatting enthusiastically while oblivious to the camera. Jackson looked bleary-eyed as he leaned forward with a big smile on his face. _Who knew fate would bring us together again, Captain._

Angus clicked open a second photo taken by his private detective. This photo of Sharon Raydor filled the screen. _In your element, aren't you, gorgeous. _The captain was standing next to police officers at an early morning crime scene near a corpse lying uncovered. Two white haired men in suits were standing just a few feet away, the taller staring at the Captain. Angus could see why. The sun on Sharon's hair made it positively glow while the wind blew a few thick strands into the air. Sharon definitely had a commanding presence standing there in designer heels and a belted trench coat, her slim legs accentuated by dappled sunlight. _Hmmmm._

Fate had brought them together once before and now their paths had crossed again. There had to be a reason and Sharon's declaration of propriety wasn't going to get in the way. She'd come around, eventually.

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**Thanks for reading! Still working out how Angus and Andy will interact over Sharon. Let me know your thoughts and ideas. LOVE collaborating with readers. Please leave a review and let me know if the story should continue.**


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